Bessa R3A Questions

[bcplouffe]

Hi,

Am a new RF user, recently purchased a Bessa 3A, which I'm enjoying very much. I've been lurking here and have a question re: lenses.
I know that the R3A is Leica M compatible. Is M compatible and bayonet the same thing? Will I be able to use any lens that is an M mount without having to use a adaptor? Will all M mount lenses work with my viewfinder?

Thanks for your assistance.

 

[jlw]

Yes, M compatible means that the camera has a Leica M-type bayonet mount. Any lens with an M bayonet mount will fit on it without an adapter.

The viewfinder has framelines for lenses of 40mm, 50mm, 75mm and 90mm focal lengths. For any other focal length, you'll need to use an accessory viewfinder.

The rangefinder base (distance between the rangefinder and viewfinder windows) of the R3a's finder is fairly short compared to, say, a Leica M7 camera. Because focusing accuracy depends in part on rangefinder base, you may find that there are some lenses that FIT on the camera, but that can't be focused accurately at wide apertures and/or close distances.

In general, you should be fine with any lens matching the focal length and aperture of lenses that Cosina makes for the Bessas. However, some other lenses may exceed these limits (the Leica 50mm f/1 Noctilux and 75mm f/1.4 Summilux cause accuracy problems for some people, for example.) If you own such a lens, you may need to avoid using the widest apertures when you are at the closest focusing distances, or vice-versa, to avoid exceeding the accuracy limits of the rangefinder.

There's a lot of information about your R3a on the CameraQuest website (www.cameraquest.com)

Good luck and have fun!

 

[rardinger]

M = Bayonet

LTM = Threaded mount

3 basic LTM to M adaptors (though have different markings depending on age)

All of the adaptors are the same (thickness, bayonet) EXCEPT for the automatic selection of frame lines in a LEICA M camera (one for 28mm/90mm, one for 50mm/75mm and another for 35mm/135mm)

On a Bessa where the frame lines manually selected it really does not matter which adapoter is used, Same essentially on a Leica M camera if an external viewfinder will be used (21mm 24mm, etc.)

In general all M lenses can mount on all M bodies without an adaptor, HOWEVER
in the real world there are some incompatabilities between certain M mount (bayonet) lenses and some M mount bodies and there are some lenses that should not be used on some bodies (some 21mm with camera that have a meter arm as an example).

M bodies with and adaptor can use teh screw mount, threaded LTM mount lenses but an LTM mount camera (all Leicas before the M series, Bessa R, etc) cannot use M mount lenses.

Your camera has a viewfinder that makes framing with a lens wider than 35mm difficult (but makes focusing and framing with longer lenses better). If you were to use a 21mm VC lens as an example (an LTM lens) you would need a adaptor and the external viewfinder, you focus with the camera's viewfinder and frame with the external finder.

Hope this helps.

Robert

 

[aizan]

1:1 is optimized for 50mm, .7x for 35mm, .6x for 28mm. Don't let accessory viewfinders intimidate you. Beyond 28mm, focusing by scale, zone, or hyperfocal is very easy so it's not like you lose functionality because the rangefinder spot is somewhere else.